Door-controlling means.



H. G. VOIGHT. DOOR. CONTROLLING MEANS. APPLICATION FILED ov. 171, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

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H. G. VOIGHT.- DOOR CONTROLLING MEANS. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 11, 1913.

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H. G. VOIGHT.

DOOR GDNTROLLING MEANS.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1913. 1,087,075, I Y Patented Feb. 10,1914.

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mm: I 5W M g p w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. VOIG-HT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

DOOR-CONTROLLING MEANS.

To all whom "it may concern I Be it known that I, HENRY G. Vororrr, acitizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, Hartford county,State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Door-Controlling Means, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The present invention relates to controlling and operating means forsliding doors and similar closures, and is designed to provide astructure of this character particularly applicable to the doors ofelevator wells, wherein the controlling means may be positioned foroperation by the operator of an elevator car within such distance fromthe car control as to make both the door and car control possible fromthe same position on the part of the car operator.

My present invention aims to provide a structure which will providethese condi tions of operation and which will at the same time provide acontrolling means for the door which embodies various desirable featuresof construction.

A specific embodiment of my invention is described in detail in thefollowing specification taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming part thereof and in which,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the inner side of an elevator welldoor as viewed from the elevator car, the position of the parts in dooropen position being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryview in side elevation and on an enlarged scale, showing the door withthe controlling handle and toggle attached thereto. Fig. 3 shows adetail of construction. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing amodified form of the control shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a sliding door ofstandard construction and type, and 2 the casing thereof, 3 designatingthe wall of the elevator well forming a stationary abutment. Attached tothe door and extending transversely thereof from a point adjacent itsforward edge, is a base plate 4 having superimposed thereon adjacent itsforward edge a bracket 5 having thereon a stud 6 on which the forwardend of a lever arm 7 is journaled, this lever arm being pivotallyconnected adjacent its opposite end with a second arm 8 having its rearend provided with a transverse arm 9, the rear extremity thereof be-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 11, 1913.

Patented Feb. 1%), 1914. Serial No. 800,307.

ing journaled as at 10 in a bracket 11 appropriately secured to the wall3 or other stationary abutment. These levers 7 and 8 together constitutea toggle which swings with the opening and closing of the door. Thetransverse arm 9 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a piston rod12, whose piston is inclosed within a power cylinder 13 pivotallymounted at its lower end on the arm 1% of a bracket 15 securely fastenedto the stationary abutment surface 3. This power cylinder may be of anysuitable construction, preferably having a piston therein with a springoperating against the piston and normally tending to pull the arm 9 andtoggle levers 7 and 8 downwardly to the position shown in full lines inFig. 1.

order to insure this position of the pivots of the toggle, the togglearm 7 is provided adjacent its end with a stop pin 7 and the toggle arm8 has its end cut away or recessed to provide a stop shoulder 8*, which,when the door is closed, will abut against the stop pin 7 to maintainthe toggle arms with their pivots in horizontal alinement.

The power cylinder 13, when the door is opened, normally tends to pullthe arm 8 downwardly through its transverse arm 9 to swing the doortoward closed position. In order to move the toggle arms to open thedoor against the force of the power cylinder, with a minimum expenditureof energy on the part of the operator and so as to position the arms atan angle which will permit the power cylinder to quickly start thereturn, the toggle should be as long as possible and, in a great manycases, is secured to the door adjacent its forward edge. The manuallyapplied force for opening the door is most efiective when applied to thetoggle adjacent this point. In such a case where the door is a wide oneand substantially coincident with the area of exit opening, theoperating handle, if placed at or adjacent the forward edge of the door,would be located at a considerable distance from the operating controlof the elevator car, so that the operator of the car to open the door,must leave the car control. I have provided means, however, whereby theoperating foree is applied to the toggle at the most advantageous pointwith the operating handle itself positioned at a point removed from theforward edge of the door and between this point and the stationaryabutment at a point preferably where it and the car control are bothaccessible to the operator at the same time. To this end, spaced links16 are pivoted to and embrace the forward toggle arm. 7 at a pointadjacent its pivoted door connected end and extend downwardly therefrom.The bracket plate 5 carried by the door edge is provided with a stud 17on which is journaled a controlling lever 18 having an integralrightangle arm 19 extending transversely of its pivot point, the end ofthis arm seating be tween the spaced links 16 and being pivotallysecured thereto adjacent the lower ends of said links as at 20. Powerapplied to the lower end of the controlling lever 18 will transmitthrough links 16 a powerful leverage against the toggle moving it fromits horizontally alined locking position upwardly in a direction toslide the door toward open position and against the force of the powercylinder, the leverage being compounded through the controlling leverand links to make this result possible with the expenditure of a minimumof force as applied to the controlling lever. At a point removed fromthe forward edge of the door, and, in the present showing of toggle armcomponents, at a point between the pivot points of the forward togglelever, the plate 4 is provided with a stud 21 on which is journaled andfrom which depends an operating handle 22 having an offset hand grip 23at its lower end. This base plate 4t may extend for substantially theentire width of the door (or when this distance is not suflicient, theplate a may be extended beyond the rear edge of the door or othersupport ing means provided for the operating handle) so that theoperating handle may be positioned at the most advantageous point. Iconnect this operating handle 22 with the controlling lever 18 by meansof a link 24 preferably arranged substantially parallel with the togglewhen horizontal, and pivotally connected at its ends to the controllinglever 18 and to the operating handle 22 as shown. With the operatingattachment described, the operator may stand within reach of thecontroller, grasp the door operating handle 23 and through theconnections described, readily move the toggle from horizontally alinedposition to unlock the same and to move the door toward open positionagainst the force of the power cylinder, the parts assuming thepositions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When thedoor is released, the pow r cylinder operating against the transversearm 9 of the rear toggle lever 8, moves the toggle arms forward anddownwardly to move the door to closed position where it would be lockedagainst opening from the exterior by means of the horizontal alinementof the toggle arms, the operating handle and its connections returningto the solid line positions indicated in F 1 with the closing of thedoor.

In some instances where it is required or necessary to place theoperating handle back a substantial distance from the front edge of thedoor, it is obvious that following previous practice, the toggle leverswould be to that extent shortened. I have found that to secure thegreatest efficiency, it is most desirable that the toggle levers shouldbe of the maximum length; that is to say, the forward end of thetogglelevers should terminate near the front edge of the door, therefore, insuch cases above referred to where the handle must be placed asubstantial distance back of the forward edge of the door, I avoidlessening the efliciency of the toggle system by maintaining said togglesystem of the maximum length and coupling the operating handle theretoin the manner previously described, thereby placing the operating handlewell back from the front. edge of the door, as necessity requires. Insome instances where the sliding doors are very wide and the elevatorcontrolling lever is located on the side of the car new, to the fixedabutment, it is obvious that an operator would have difliculty inreaching the handle as ordinarily arranged while still remaining inposition to control the controlling lever of the car. By my arrangement,the handle may be brought back to a position where it may beconveniently grasped by the operator while standing in a position tostill manage the ole ator controlling lever. This is only one of themany instances where it would be of advantage to locate the dooroperating handle at a posi tion well back of the front edge of the door.Now. as will be seen, even though the door operating handle is locatedin the position stated, the power will be applied with the same degreeof efficiency that it would be applied with if the handle were locatedat the edge of the door directly under the forward end of the togglesystem.

In the modification shown in Fig. t, l have shown the handle 22 and thelink 2-t as before. The link 24 is pivotally connected to a lever 18 Thelever 18 is connected by a link 16 to the extreme forward end of thetoggle T on the pivot 26, the toggle being pivoted to the door at thepoint (3. By arranging the pivotal point 27 of the link 18 below thepivotal point (S a powerful leverage is afforded, furnishing relativelyquick action at the expenditure of a minimum of effort.

In Fig. l. I also show another modification in which 27 represents alifter arm extension from the handle 22, said lifter arm being arrangedunderneath the toggle near its center so that the very first movement ofthe operating handle 22 will move the arm 27 to break the toggle orstart it on its upward movement. This feature may be employed in eitherform of device herein illustrated whenever required.

I have herein illustrated a particular form of door control, but desireit understood that the invention is not limited in scope thereto, butmay be modified in structure and in'relative arrangement of parts withinthe spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Controlling means for sliding doors embodying an arm operativelyconnected adjacent one end with the door and arranged for operativeconnection with a stationary abutment to swing with the opening andclosing of the door, and meansfor moving said arm in a direction toslide said door, said means acting upon and being operatively connectedwith said arm adjacent its point of door connection, and having means ofmanual control located'at a point re moved from said point of doorconnection, and between said point and said stationary abutment.

2. Controlling means for sliding doors embodying an arm operativelyconnected adjacent one end with the door and arranged for operativeconnection with a stationary abutment to swing with the opening andclosing of the door, power mechanism acting upon said arm to swing thesamein a direction to slide said door toward closed position, and meansfor moving said arm in a direction to slide said door toward openposition, said means acting upon and being operatively connected withsaid arm adjacent its point of door connection and having means ofmanual control located at a point removed from said point of doorconnection, and between said point and said abutment.

3. Cont-rolling means for sliding doors embodying an arm operativelyconnected adjacent one end with the door and arranged for operativeconnection with a stationary abutment to swing with the opening andclosing of the door, and means for moving said arm in a direction toslide said door, said means being operatively connected to said arm andacting thereagainst adjacent its point of door connection and includinga manually operable handle supported by and movable relative to thedoor, and lo-- cated at a point removed from said point of armconnection, in the direction of said abutment.

4. Controlling means for sliding doors embodying an arm connectedadjacent one end to the door and arranged for operative connection adjacent its other end with a stationary abutment whereby said arm swingswith theopening andclosing of the door, a controlling lever for said armand door carried by said door and operatively connected with said arm,and manually controlled operating means for said lever positionedbetween said controlling lever and said abutment and operativelyconnected with said lever to actuate the same to control said arm anddoor.-

5. Controlling means for sliding doors embodying an arm pivotallyconnected adjacent one end to the door and arranged for operativeconnection adjacent its other end with a stationary abutment to swingwith the opening and closing of the door, a controlling lever for saidarm and door carried by said door and operatively connected with saidarm adjacent the point of door connection of said arm, and manuallycontrolled operating means for said lever positioned between said leverand said abutment and operatively connected with said lever to actuatethe same to control said arm and door.

6. Controlling means for sliding doors embodying an arm pivotallyconnected adjacent one end to the door and arranged for operativeconnection adjacent its other end with a stationary abutment to swingwith the opening and closing of the door, a controlling lever for saidarm and door carried by said door and operatively connected with saidarm adjacent its pointof door connection, power mechanism operatingagainst said arm to swing the same in a direction to slide said doortoward closed position, and manually controlled operating means for saidlever positioned between said lever and said abutment, and operativelyconnected with said lever to swing said arm in a direction to slide saiddoor toward open position. I

7. Controlling means for sliding doors embodying a toggle pivotallyconnected adjacent its forward end to the door and having its rearportion operatively connected with a stationary abutment whereby saidtoggle swings with the opening and closing of the door, a controllinglever carried by the door and operatively connected with said toggleadjacent its forward door pivoted end, and manually controlled operatingmeans for said lever supported by said door and positioned between saidcontrolling lever and said abutment and connected with said lever toactuate the same to move said toggle in a direction to slide said door.

8. Controlling means for sliding doors embodying a toggle pivotallyconnected ad. j acent its forward end to the door and having its rearportion operatively connected with a stationary abutment whereby saidtoggle swings with the opening and closing of the door, power mechanismoperatively connected with said toggle and normally tending to swing thesame in a direction to slide said door toward closed position, acont-rolling lever carried by the door and operatively connected withsaid toggle adjacent its forward door pivoted end, and manuallycontrolled operating means for said lever supported by said door andpositioned between said controlling lever and said abutment andconnected with said lever to actuate the same to move said toggle in adirection to slide said door toward open position.

9. Controlling means for sliding doors, embodying a toggle pivotallysecured adjacent its forward end to a door and arranged for operativeconnection with a sta tionary abutment to swing with the opening andclosing of the door, a link pivotally carried by said toggle adjacentits forward pivoted end and extending transversely therefrom, acontrolling lever pivotally carri d by said door at a point removed fromthe pivot point of said toggle thereon and pivotally connected to saidlink, an operating handle supported by said door at a point removed fromsaid toggle pivot and said link in the direction of said abutment, andope 'ative connections between said handle and said controlling leverwhereby movement of said handle in one direction operates said lever andlink to swing said toggle in a direction to slide said door.

10. Controlling means for sliding doors, embodying a toggle pivotallysecured adjacent its forward end to a door and arranged for operativeconnection with a stationary abutment to swing with the opening andclosing of the door, power mechanism operatively connected with saidtoggle and normally tending to swing the same in a direction to slidesaid door toward closed position, a link pivotally carried by saidtoggle adjacent its forward pivoted end and extending transverselytherefrom, a controlling lever pivotally carried by said door at a pointremoved from the pivot point of said toggle thereon, and pivotallyconnected to said link, an operating handle supported by said door at apoint removed from said toggle pivot and said link in the direction ofsaid abutment, and operative connections between said handle and saidcontrolling lever whereby movement of said handle in one directionoperates said lever and link to swing said toggle in a direction toslide said door toward open position.

11. Controlling means for sliding doors comprising a toggle, the rearpart of said toggle being arranged to be connected to a stationaryabutment, the forward partof said toggle being arranged to be connectedto a sliding door adjacent the forward edge of the latter, a handlearranged to be pivoted to the door at a point between its forward andrear edges and well removed from its front edge, and means of connectionbetween said handle and the toggle, said connection being closer to theforward pivotal point of the toggle than the pivotal point of the handlerelatively to the forward pivotal point of the toggle.

l2. Controlling means for sliding doors comprising a toggle, the rearpart of said toggle being arranged to be connected to a stationaryabutment, the forward part of said toggle being arranged to be connectedto a sliding door adjacent the forward edge of the latter, a handlearranged to be pivoted to the door at a point between its forward andrear edges and well removed from its frontedge, means of connectionbetween said handle and the toggle, said connection being closer to theforward pivotal point of the toggle than the pivotal point of the handlerelatively to the forward pivotal point of the toggle, and a togglelifter operated by said handle and arranged to engage the toggle betweenits ends in addition to the indirect engagement of said handle with theforward end of said toggle.

Controlling means for sliding doors embodying an arm arranged to bepivotally connected adjacent its forward end to a door and arranged foroperative connection at its rear end with an abutment whereby when thearm is swung the door will slide, an operating hand lever carried bysaid door between the front. and rear edges of the door and to the rearof the point of pivotal connection of said arm with said door, and aconnecting link between said arm and said hand lever whereby movement ofsaid hand lever will rock the arm and slide the door.

HENRY G. VOIGHT.

ll itnesses (.iwnnoomnn A. JACKSON, Cnas. E. i-Ussnim.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patenta, Washington. D. C.

